Code Of Honor
by Rogue11
Summary: A story set in an alternate MedievalFantasy universe, about two knights who come to realize that standing on opposite sites of the battlefield doesn’t necessarily make you enemies.
1. Settings

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

**Title: **Code of Honor

**Author: **Rogue 11

**Rating: **PG-13 in the beginning, later maybe R for sexual content

**Warnings: **yaoi, lemon, lime, some violence

**Pairings:** 13x5, 3x4

**Notation: **_Italics_ – indicates thoughts

** Bold** – indicates emphasis

**About the Story: **A story set in an alternate Medieval/Fantasy universe, about two knights who come to realize that standing on opposite sites of the battlefield doesn't necessarily make you enemies.


	2. Part 1

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

**Code of Honor**

  
_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 1                   

"Colonel Khushrenada!"  
Treize's eyes snapped open, and he went from deeply asleep to wide awake in an instant. "Yes?"  
"You wanted me to wake you when Major Zechs returned, my Lord. He and his men are just about to ride into the camp."  
"I'll be there in a moment." Treize braced his left side, right below his ribs, and moaned as he sat up gingerly. He pulled on his boots and reached for the sword-belt that was laying an arms length away, next to his makeshift bed. 

Six soldiers, led by a tall, blond knight on a white steed, were riding into the camp just as the colonel left his tent. Treize frowned as he noticed that something; someone, was lying across the horse in front of the major. Zechs brought his mount to a halt, and dumped the bundle out of the saddle, rather unceremoniously. Treize winced as the bound figure hit the ground face-first with a thump. "What's that?" he asked.  
"A prisoner. We caught him alone, about half way between the river and our camp. Perhaps he was sent to spy on us." Zechs dismounted, walked over to the captive and pulled him roughly to his feet by the back of his leather vest. "Stand up!" he growled.

The young man - he barely looked old enough to be called that – gave his captor a cold glare. If looks could kill, the major would have dropped dead on the spot.  
"I'm Colonel Treize Khushrenada." Treize informed the prisoner. "What's your rank and name?"  
When he didn't answer, Zechs tightened his grip on the young man's vest, and shook him hard enough to make his teeth shudder. "If you are asked a question, you will answer. Is that clear?"

"Stop that, Major!" Treize snapped. He slowly let his gaze wander over the figure in front of him, studying him thoroughly.   
He looked so young. There was a mixture of pride and defiance in his eyes, and just the slightest hint of fear. His face was dirty, and a small trickle of blood was running from his nose. The colonel frowned as he noticed more blood crusting the young man's golden-blond hair. He was injured. The knight turned to one of his soldiers.  
"Take him to the healer." he ordered. "After he is treated, confine him for the night. I will talk to him in the morning."

"I'll see to it myself." Zechs replied. "I want to make sure that he is locked up securely. And I don't want anybody to underestimate him. He is not as innocent as he looks. He killed one of my men and injured a second one before we were able to capture him."  
That explained the major's less than cordial attitude toward his prisoner. Zechs was known to be rather protective (Note to Anne: can you think of a better word to use here) of his men. 

Treize nodded in acknowledgement, then ordered: "See me in my tent afterward, Major."  
"Yes, my Lord."

*****

While the colonel waited for Zechs, he studied the large map that was spread out on his table.

To the right stretched Ghent, the kingdom he served. It was a proud and wealthy country. To the left lay Iteria, a kingdom no less powerful, and just as large and rich as Ghent. And then there was what was commonly known as "The Western Domain". On and off, for more than two centuries, Ghent and Iteria had been raging war over that land; both kingdoms claiming the territory to be rightfully theirs. It was ironic, because neither kingdom really needed the land. The Western Domain was no more than some mountain chains and a large stretch of desert, surrounded by a few green valleys and some forests. No, this war wasn't truly about land; it was about power. 

Treize and his men, a group of two hundred swordsmen and archers on horseback, had been heading west to meet up with Ghent's main forces, when they had come under attack. They were forced to retreat into this canyon, which turned out – as they realized too late- to be a dead end. Surrounded on three sides by mountains, too steep for any horse or human to climb, the only way out was through a small river valley. But there the Iterian troops were waiting for them.   
Eventually, he knew they would have to try to break through, but for now they rested, treated their wounded, and simply waited.

Treize didn't have to turn his head when he heard the heavy canvas sheet at the entrance move, to know that it was Zechs who entered his tent. The major walked around the table and into the knight's line of view.

"Zechs, I hope you are bringing good news." Treize said. There was no need for formalities between the two men when they were in private. "We really could use them."   
"Sorry, but I'm afraid I don't." Zechs replied seriously as he settled down in one of the canvas chairs. "From what I could see they set up camp as well. It doesn't look as though they are planning on going soon. It seems like they are waiting for us to make the next move."

Treize had expected as much. Although he would rather have the Iterians come to him. It was much easier to defend a camp than to try overrunning your enemy.

"Let them wait for a while." He reached for a bottle of brandy and filled his glass about half way with the amber colored liquid. He gestured at a second glass and gave Zechs a questioning look.   
The pale-blond knight shook his head. "No, thanks."

Treize emptied his glass in one gulp. The brandy was cheap; not of the top quality he was used to, and it burned on the way down. Nevertheless, the colonel reached for the bottle to refill his glass. Or, at least that was he was about to do when Zechs caught his wrist in mid-motion.

"Alcohol can only do so much against pain. Perhaps you should go and see the healer."

Treize looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Excuse me?"

The blond knight snorted. "Don't pretend to be surprised, Treize. I know you are injured. You might be able to hide it from the others but you can't fool me."  
_No,_ Treize thought. _You are too smart to let anybody fool you. I learned that a long time ago._ But aloud he said, "I don't need a healer. It's just a flesh wound."

"Where?"

The colonel pointed at his left side, somewhere below the ribs.

"Even **if it is** only a flesh wound, it is bothering you, isn't it?" It was a statement rather than a question, and Zechs was right.

It hurt more than Treize would care to admit, but he had his reasons for not wanting anybody to know about his injury. So he repeated stubbornly, "I do not need a healer." He reached for the brandy bottle again, and this time the major didn't stop him. Instead he rose from his chair and left the tent with the words that he would be back shortly.

When he returned, Zechs was carrying a small basket full of small jugs and jars, and some clean cloth to be used for bandages. The colonel looked at the basket, and then at him, question and a hint of disapproval in his eyes.  
"Don't worry." Zechs assured him. "Nobody knows that you are wounded. I told the healer that Aramus hurt his leg."

"Your horse?!"

"What? He and I have been through a lot of battles together. I happen to care about him." The knight set the basket down on the table. "Take your shirt off and lie down on the bed," he told Treize.  
"Major!" the colonel exclaimed in feign surprise. "I'm shocked. Have you forgotten that you are a married man? Noin would kill both of us if she was to find out."

Zechs snorted. "Will you stop jesting around? Now get that shirt off or do I have to undress you myself?"

"Now there is a tempting thought." Treize laughed as he unbuckled his sword-belt and put it aside. He couldn't stop a small moan from escaping him when he eased his tunic over his head, and Zechs gave him a concerned look.  
As the colonel stretched out on his bedstead Zechs' eyes fell upon the bandages wrapped around the older man's torso. He knelt down next to the bed and started to remove the strips. "What happened?" he asked as he took off the last piece of cloth, and eyed the round, coin-sized injury. It was not very deep; only a flesh wound, just like the colonel had said. "This looks like a wound made by an arrow?"

Treize nodded.  
The blond knight frowned. "How? Didn't you wear your armor?"  
"I did. And that's the only reason I'm still alive. It went right through my breastplate and got stuck in the chain mail."

Zechs head jerked up and his jaw dropped. Treize's and his armors and chain mails had been specially forged by the finest weapon's smith in all of Ghent. He didn't think that any weapon could pierce them. Of course, he had heard that the Iterians supposedly had some kind of metal that was stronger any other, but he had never believed those rumors.

"Do you understand now why I don't want anybody to know? Moral is low enough as it is, without word getting around that the enemy has armor piercing arrows."  
"At least you could have told me and let me treat you," the major chided. "What good would it do if you died of an infection?"

He rose to retrieve one of the small vials from the basket. Zechs opened it and drenched a small piece of cloth with the odd smelling liquid. When he carefully dabbed the wound with it Treize hissed in pain.

"This will hurt a little."  
"Now you tell me," the colonel pressed through his teeth.  
'That's what you get for not confiding in me earlier." Zechs joked in an attempt to mask his concern with sarcasm. He continued to clean the wound carefully, spread a generous amount of a salve that was supposed to prevent infection around it, and covered it with fresh bandages.  
"Did you, by any chance, keep that arrow?" he wanted to know, as he put the jar with the salve back into the basket.  
"Somewhere on the table." Treize sat up and reached for his tunic.

The major searched the table and found the broken off arrow beneath some papers. He frowned as he studied the pointed metal tip. It didn't look much different from other arrow head he had seen; perhaps a little darker in color though. "What are you planning on doing with the prisoner?" he suddenly changed the subject, as he turned to face the other knight.  
The colonel shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Truthfully, we don't have the means to keep any prisoners. There is no saying how long we will be trapped here. Any food that we have we should be saving for our own soldiers, but I refuse to let him starve even if he is an enemy."  
"Nobody is suggesting that you should." Zechs propped himself against the table, still playing with the broken arrow. "But I think that we should at least question him."

"And learn what?" Treize snorted in dark sarcasm. "That we are trapped in this canyon? That the only way out is blocked by Iterian soldiers? That our own troops would never make it here in time even if a messenger would be able to slip through the enemy line? And not to mention that they seem to have weapons superior to our own. I believe we know all of that already." The knight pinched the back of his nose. He looked very tired all of a sudden.

"You should try to get some sleep."  
"I slept while you were on patrol."

"Sleep some more," Zechs told him. It sounded more like an order than a suggestion. "If anything comes up I'll take care of it."  
Treize nodded. "Thank you, Zechs."

*****

Wufei couldn't find sleep, and he decided, rather that tossing and turning for the rest of the night, he would get up and check on his guards. About half way through the round, the young knight noticed a figure, sitting alone on a fallen tree trunk, near the edge of the encampment. As he stepped closer Wufei recognized the young man as his second in command.  
"Trowa, why aren't you in your tent, sleeping?"  
"I'm waiting for Quatre to return." The slender, brunet soldier didn't turn his head, but continued to stare into the dark.  
Wufei frowned. "He hasn't come back yet?"

Trowa shook his head.  
"Maybe he came in from the other site and is waiting for you in your tent?"

"No, I checked the tent just a while ago, and I told the guards to let me know as soon as he returns."

_Damn it! I should have never allowed him to leave by himself. _Wufei thought.   
During the last battle his troops had taken considerable losses, and many of his men had been wounded. The healer had been doing his best but now he was running low on herbs and ointments to treat the injured. Quatre had mentioned that he knew of a spot near the river where they could find some of the herbs they needed. He insisted that it was safer and less suspicious if he went there alone.

"You couldn't have stopped him," the captain said, as though he was reading Wufei's mind. "We both know that Quatre can be as stubborn as an ox if he puts his mind to something."

The raven-haired knight looked up into the sky. It was still hours until daylight. "If he hasn't come back by morn, I'll send somebody to look for him."

"If he hasn't come back by morn, **I** will be out there looking for him." Trowa replied, resolutely. He glanced at his commander and friend from the side. "Now that you know why I am sitting out here, tell me why **you **aren't in bed either."

Wufei shrugged as he sat down next to Trowa. "I can't sleep. It is too quiet. They are planning something, I know it. Eventually there will be another battle, but that doesn't scare me. It's the waiting that drives me insane. Why don't they just attack?"

"Maybe they are waiting for us to come to them?" Trowa mused. "They might think that if they wait long enough, we will become impatient, cross the river and attack them inside the canyon." 

"Right!" Wufei snorted. He was about to add something when some noises and commotion, coming from the other side of the camp, caught their attention.  
"Commander Chang."

Both knights turned their heads to see one of their soldiers running toward them.  
"What is it?" Wufei asked alarmed, his right fist closing instinctively around his sword.  
"Lieutenant Winner, my Lord…His horse…it just returned alone, without its rider."

"What?" Trowa jumped to his feed and stormed off, the commander only a few steps behind him.

At the south end of the camp, another soldier was holding Quatre's large, dun stallion. As the captain came closer he noticed some dark, rust-colored spots on the animal's flanks. Blood!  
"It's not his blood," the soldier spoke. "There are no wounds. I already checked."

Trowa's heart skipped a beat and he swallowed. If the horse wasn't injured, that meant the blood came most likely from its rider.   
_Quatre!_

Wufei frowned as Trowa took the stallion's reins and jumped into the saddle. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm going to find Quatre," the young knight replied.

"Not on your own, you aren't. I can't risk losing you too."  
"I don't have time to wait. Quatre is lying out there somewhere, injured, perhaps dying. I need to find him."

Trowa looked down at the commander, waiting, pleading silently, for his approval.

Wufei pressed his lips together as he gave one curt nod, and watched the young knight spur the mount and gallop off. He could imagine how Trowa felt. After all, Quatre was his friend too. The three of them had grown up together since they were knee high to grasshoppers. He still remembered that day when his father had brought the two orphaned boys into his keep. Somehow Wufei had the feeling that the general had seen more in them than just playmates for his son. Perhaps he had sensed Quatre's special abilities before anybody else. Quatre not only had some healing powers, but he could also sense the feelings and emotions of people around him. And Trowa, he was one of the best – or perhaps **the **best - archers in all of Iteria. They often joked that he could shoot a fly off a branch without scratching the tree.

Both of them had been extremely loyal, and Wufei valued their friendship highly. Especially after his father's death, two years ago, Trowa and Quatre had been always there for him when he needed a shoulder to lean on. And when he had decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a soldier, they had followed him without hesitation.

As they had gotten older, Trowa and Quatre had grown even closer. They had never kept it a secret that they were more than just friends. Although Wufei would never admit it to anyone but himself, he envied them sometimes for what they had.

__________________________________________________________________________________________  
  


T.B.C.

Author's Note: 

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	3. Part 2

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story A special Thank You to Anne Olsen for beta reading  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ 

**Code of Honor**

  
_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 2

Quatre had spent a very long and uncomfortable night, chained up inside a canvas covered wagon. From the noises outside he could tell that morning had broken. The camp was coming to life. For lack of anything better to do, the young knight just lay there thinking. He wondered what Trowa was doing. By now his men must have realized that something had happened to him. Quatre just hoped that his lover wasn't going to do anything rushed and foolish.

When Quatre heard heavy footsteps approaching the wagon, he closed his eyes. There was no reason for him to give away that he was awake.

The canvas covering in the back of the wagon was moved, then somebody nudged him with the tip of a boot.

"Wake up."

Quatre recognized that voice. It belonged to the longhaired, blond major; Zechs he was called, if Quatre remembered correctly. When he didn't move the major nudged him again; a little more forcefully this time. Quatre finally opened his eyes and glared at the man. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't scared. But he was determined not to show any weakness in front of his enemies.

"Get up!" The blond Ghentanian picked him up by his vest and pulled him to his feet like he weighed nothing at all. "The colonel wants to see you."  
The chains around Quatre's ankles were removed so that he could walk. The major prodded him out of the wagon and through the camp. Quatre walked slowly, somewhat stiff from the uncomfortable position he had been forced to sleep in. Although he kept his head down, he didn't miss anything going on around him. Only a short distance away he noticed a group of horses, and for a moment he considered his chances of escape.  
"Don't even think about doing anything foolish," his captor warned, as though he was reading Quatre's mind. "They don't call me the Lightning Count for nothing."

***

Treize was waiting in his tent for Zechs to bring the prisoner. One of his soldiers had brought him breakfast earlier. The plate stood untouched on the table.  
After a few hours of sleep the colonel had pondered for the rest of the night, about what to do with the young man. Perhaps he could use him somehow to better the position they were in.

The tall knight looked up as his second prodded the young Iterian into the tent.

"Major, please remove his chains," he ordered. "And then I would like to talk to him alone."

Treize could tell by Zechs' expression that the major didn't like the idea, but he was too well trained to openly question an order. He quietly unlocked the cuffs around the prisoner's wrists. Before he left however, he gave the young man a warning glare. "I'll be waiting outside."

Treize waited until they were alone, then he gestured toward one of the chairs. "Have a seat." He studied the blond Iterian intensely. The young man tried his best to hide his fear, but Treize could tell he was scared.

_I'm not surprised. I would be scared, if I was in his situation. He is still so young. He should be at home, having a good time with his friends, perhaps worry about making a good impression on the ladies. He shouldn't be out here fighting and killing. _

"You must be hungry. Have something to eat," he said, as he pushed the plate with the food in front of the prisoner. It was nothing fancy, just some bread, a few slices of cured meat and some cheese.   
The young man looked at him, a mixture of surprise and suspicion in his eyes.

"I assure you that it isn't poisoned. If that's what you worried about," Treize said as the blond didn't move. He reached for a piece of cheese and popped it into his mouth to emphasize his words.

The prisoner hesitated for just a moment longer, then picked up a piece of bread and begun to eat it slowly.

The colonel settled down on the edge of the table and watched him for a short while. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name last night…"

"I'm Lieutenant Quatre Winner," the young man replied with a hint of defiance. "And that's all you will learn from me. You can do whatever you want to me, I won't tell you anything else."

Treize smiled in slight amusement. "But I don't want you to tell me anything. I just want you to listen."

The blond Iterian looked at him surprised.

"And then I want you to take a message to your leader."

The prisoner's expression changed from surprise to utter confusion. Treize almost laughed.

  
****

At the break of dawn Trowa had returned to the camp, alone and frustrated. He had found evidence of a battle and some blood near the river, but there was no sign of Quatre.

 "We should consider that as a good sign," Wufei told him. "That means that Quatre is still alive. They wouldn't have bothered taking his body."

"Yes, but how long will they keep him alive?" Trowa replied grimly. "And who knows what they are doing to him." The young man looked worn out from lack of sleep and worry.

"You need to get some sleep, Trowa."

"Is that an order?" Trowa looked up at the commander. 

"Do I have to make it one?" Wufei asked. "At the moment there is nothing you can do. But it will do us no good if you are exhausted if I need you later on." He put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry I'll wake you if there is any news from Quatre."

Trowa nodded. "Thanks."

The young knight retreated to his tent. He kicked off his boots and put his sword next to his bedstead. He didn't think that he would be able to find any rest, but he was so exhausted that he fell asleep the moment he stretched out on the blankets.

When he woke up a couple hours later he felt slightly better. The dark circles around his eyes had faded somewhat.

Trowa found Wufei in his tent, studying some maps. The commander had a mug of qahwa (1) in his hand. At his friend's questioning look he gestured toward a metal pot on the table. Trowa thanked him with a nod, as he poured himself a cup of the steaming brew. It was strong and a little bitter.

"Anything new?" he asked as he settled into a chair.

Wufei shook his head. "Nothing. I sent out a group of scouts. They came back a short while ago and reported that everything seems quiet. They didn't see any increased activity in the enemy camp."

Trowa scowled into his mug. "Perhaps we should attack now, while they are least expecting it?"

"I'm not sure," the captain replied thoughtfully. "That might just be what they want us to do."

"I don't care. If I have to I will go over there myself and take their camp apart one wagon at a time until I find Quatre," Trowa growled.

"That won't be necessary. Although it is nice to know you would do that for me."

Two heads jerked around at the sound of Quatre's voice. The blond knight was standing in the tent entrance, a soft smile curving his lips.

Trowa jumped up, almost spilling his drink as he did so. 

"Quatre, are you alright? Did those bastards hurt you in any way?" 

"I'm fine. Nobody hurt me, Trowa," he assured his lover. "In fact they even had a healer look at those scratches that I received when I was captured."

"What happened?" Wufei wanted to know. "How did you escape?" 

"I didn't. They let me go." 

Trowa and Wufei exchanged a suspicious look.

"That could be some kind of trick," the commander said. "Maybe we should double the guards."  
"Relax, Wufei. I'm sure it is no trick," Quatre replied calmly. "Their colonel sent me back because he wants me to deliver a message to you."

"A message?" Wufei echoed.

The blond nodded. He walked over to Towa, took the qahwa mug from his hand with a smile, and took a sip from it before he explained: "He wants a meeting with you. He said he has an offer for you and hopes that you are open to negotiations. He will be unarmed and he will bring one of his men along. You are allowed to do the same."

Trowa snorted. "Right! Does he really expect us to fall for that? How foolish does he think we are?"

"When and where does he want to meet me?" Wufei asked.  
Towa gazed at him surprised, then frowned. "You are not really planning to meet with him, are you?"

"Actually, I am," the commander replied calmly.

"Are you out of your mind?"

****

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Major, I think you are forgetting who you are talking to. As long as we are on duty I am your commanding officer first and your friend second."

"Forgive me, Colonel," the blond knight replied. "How would you like me to put it? Are you out of your mind, **Sir?** What in the world are you trying to do? We had a prisoner who we could have used to our advantage; perhaps to make some kind of deal with them. But what do you do, you send him back with an open invitation for them to come and capture you. What makes you think you can trust them? For all we know they could be deploying their archers as we speak, to take you out as soon as you arrive at the rendezvous point. Iterians are known for being devious and sly."

"Are you quite done yet, Zechs?" the colonel asked calmly.

Zechs gave a disgruntled snort.

"Although, you might not believe it, I have thought this through long and thoroughly. The place I have chosen for the meeting doesn't provide any cover for archers or other soldiers to hide. And they don't have enough time to make elaborate plans. I might be daring, but I'm not foolish. That's why I'm taking you with me to cover my back."

"So, I suppose you have not **totally** lost your mind."

"Major!" Treize warned, with an amused sparkle in his eyes. But then he grew serious. "Zechs, there is something I need to talk to you about. I've always considered you not only an excellent soldier, but also a great leader; otherwise I wouldn't have made you my second in command. I don't think I have to tell you that sometimes being a good leader has its price. If you do your job well, your men will follow you to hell and back; but only as long as you don't ask them to give anything that you are not willing to give yourself."

Zechs' brows furrowed as he looked at Treize.

_Why is he telling me this now?_

The colonel patted him on the shoulder with a little smirk that only he could master. "You will understand what I mean…soon enough."

****

Wufei looked around, as he and Trowa approached the rendezvous place. The land was flat and bare. There wasn't as much as a single rock or tree trunk for anybody to hide behind. It was just the spot **he** would have chosen for a meeting like this. 

Wufei couldn't help but feel some respect for the Ghentanian colonel. The man knew what he was doing, and was not to be underestimated.

As the commander looked straight ahead he noticed two riders waiting for them. Both of them were tall and slender. One of the men had long, silvery hair. He looked somewhat younger than his companion. The other man's hair was tawny and neatly trimmed. For some reason Wufei assumed that he was the colonel.

The older man spoke a few words to the blond, then spurred his mount and rode toward Wufei and his captain.

"Stay here," Wufei told Trowa.

Trowa nodded and stayed behind as his companion rode on.

A few hundred feet further Wufei and his enemy counterpart met. The man frowned as he looked him over.

"I'm Colonel Treize Khushrenada," he declared, in a deep and smooth voice.   
"I'm Commander Chang Wufei, son of General Chang," Wufei replied.

The colonel's frown deepened. "Why did your father send you in his place? I thought I made it clear that I wanted to speak with the leader of your troops?"

Wufei glared daggers at the man. "Are you trying to mock me?" he spat. "My father died honorably, fighting the likes of you. These are **my** troops. Do you want to talk to me or not?"

"Forgive me. I had no intention of being disrespectful. I just didn't realize that the Iterian army is in such bad shape that they have to send children into war."

"You seem to forget that those "children" sent you and your men running."

The colonel seemed almost amused. "Bravo. I've got to admit that point goes to you."

_Arrogant bastard._ Wufei snorted. "I didn't come here to make small talk. I came because you said that you have an offer to make. So far you have only been wasting my time."

The Ghentanian grew serious. "You **do** realize that this battle isn't over yet, do you?" he said. "What I'm offering you is a way to end it without any more bloodshed. I think we both have already lost enough soldiers."

"What do you suggest?" Wufei eyed the man, suspicious but interested. 

"I'm willing to surrender to you, if you will guarantee me that my men will be allowed to retreat unharmed."

The commander blinked. That wasn't what he had expected.

"You can accept my offer or we can continue fighting. Do you really think this land is worth the prize that's being paid for it?"

"I **do** agree with you. More than enough blood has been spilled already. But how can I be sure that I can trust you? Who says that you men won't attack us the moment we turn our backs?"

"The only guarantee I can give you is my word of honor."

Wufei snorted. "The word of honor of a Ghentanian doesn't mean much."

"Apparently you have never met a true Ghentanian before," the colonel retorted with a hint of pride in his voice. "Keep in mind that I'm taking just as much as a risk as you, Commander Chang. But I'm willing to trust you. Will you give me your word, that you will keep you end of the bargain if I keep mine?"

The commander hesitated for a few moments before he nodded. "You have my word. After your surrender I'll allow your men to leave. But if I see as much as one unsheathed weapon we will defend ourselves."

The older man nodded. "Understood."

__________________________________________________________________________________________  
  


T.B.C.

Author's Note: 

(1) Yes, they are drinking coffee. 

According to UTNE READER, Nov/Dec 94, by Mark Schapiro, "Muddy Waters" Arabs were the first people to brew coffee after being introduced to the beans/berries at about 1000 AD. They called it "qahwa" (literally, that which prevents sleep).

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	4. Part 3

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story A special Thank You to Anne Olsen for beta reading  
__________________________________________________________________________________________ 

**Code of Honor**

  
_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 3

"I can't believe he is doing this." Zechs dropped his spoon into the stew and pushed away his bowl. "There has to be some other way. I would rather die fighting at his side."

Noin looked at him sympathetically. Her husband had told her about the colonel's deal with the Iterians. She knew how close the two men were and she could only imagine how Zechs felt right now.  "Have you tried to talk to him?" she asked.

"Of course I have. He told me that the matter wasn't open for discussion. You know how stubborn he can be. Short of tying him down nothing will stop him once he has made up his mind."

"Just as stubborn as somebody else I know. The two of you really could be brothers."

"I'm not that stubborn."

Noin snorted "Says the man who ate a goose that tasted like leather just because he was too stubborn to admit that he roasted it too long."

"I didn't roast it too long," Zechs insisted. "I simply like my meat cooked thoroughly."

"Whatever you say, dear." His wife laughed. "Talking of food, are you going to finish that?" she gestured at his stew.

He shook his head. "I'm done. You can have it if you want."

"Thank you."

Zechs shook his head, as she reached for his bowl. "How do you do it, Noin? You eat for two but you don't put on a single ounce of fat."

She shrugged and grinned at him. "I suppose great minds need more food than big muscles."

Zechs gave an amused snort and smirked back at her. "Talking of **great minds**; perhaps we can stop Treize if we remove him from his post, for reason of insanity?"

"Don't let him hear that," Noin warned. "That's not even funny, Zechs. The one thing that the colonel does not joke about is his rank and his responsibility toward his troops."

"I know," the blond knight replied bitter. "He made that rather clear when he told me that I was to follow his orders, and if I couldn't do that he would replace me with somebody who could."

"Ouch!" Noin gave her husband a sympathetic look. "What exactly **are** his orders?"

"I'll be taking over command after he…leaves. We are to retreat to Crandon Borough and wait behind our borders for reinforcement and new orders."

*****

A full day after his first meeting with the Ghentanian Colonel, Wufei made the last preparations to carry out the deal he had made. He was still wary of the Colonel's intention, and his second seemed even more suspicious.

"Are you certain that you want to go through with it?" Trowa asked the commander.

Wufei nodded. "Enemy or not, he did have a point when he said that too much blood has already been spilled over this land. I don't want to see any more of my men die if it can be avoided. Besides, I'm sure the king will be pleased to hear that we have such a high-ranking prisoner. Thus far we've never been able to capture one of their leaders alive."

"That's true," Trowa agreed. "He might be able to give us some information that can shorten this war."  
"I'm taking Quatre with me. I want everybody to be ready to leave when we return." Wufei ordered. "We'll move back just far enough for them to retreat without problem, then we will wait until we are absolutely sure that this isn't some kind of a trick or trap. Make it clear that I want everybody to be alert, but nobody is to act without my orders. I have every intention of holding my end of the bargain as long as he does."

Trowa nodded in acknowledgement. "Understood."

The colonel was already waiting when Wufei and Quatre approached the rendezvous point. He seemed to be unarmed, as they had agreed upon, but the commander remained cautious.

"Let me know if you sense that he is trying to deceive us," Wufei told his friend.

"I'll," the blond assured him.

"You are late," the colonel complained.

Wufei snorted. "Are you so eager to be taken prisoner?"

Treize ignored the sarcastic remark. "I was starting to think that you might have changed your mind."

"I gave you my word that we had a deal. I don't take that lightly."

"Lucky me, to come across the **one** Iterian who has a sense of honor," the colonel remarked sardonically.

Wufei glared at him. "You keep mocking me and I might forget that my **sense of honor** stops me from striking an unarmed man," he retorted. "Dismount. I want to make sure that you don't carry any hidden weapons."

Treize shrugged, as he complied. Wufei patted him down, ordered him back into the saddle, and bound his hands before they headed back to the Iterian encampment.

As they rode into the camp, the soldiers greeted the colonel with looks that ranged from curious to openly hostile. Some of them even voiced a few suggestions about what should be done with the captive.

Wufei couldn't really blame them for wanting revenge. Many of them had lost friends when they battled Treize's troops. But he wouldn't allow anybody to harm his prisoner.

The commander turned his head slightly and gazed at the man. If he was frightened, he was hiding it well.

*****

Treize was riding at the very end of the long convoy, that was made up of two hundred men and two dozen wagons. They had allowed him to keep his own mount. To prevent him from escaping they had tied his hands together with strong leather straps, and secured his stallion's reins to the wagon ahead of him. In addition, either the Commander or his second rode next to Treize to keep an eye on him.

The colonel raised his hands and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He felt hot and thirsty. Treize ran his tongue over his dry lips, closed his eyes and tried to doze off. He hadn't gotten much sleep the last few nights, and he was in pain. He had been in the saddle since the early morning, and the steady bobbing was agitating the wound in his side. What he wouldn't give for a bottle of brandy right now.

_Not long anymore_, he told himself. The sun was going to set soon. They would set up camp as they had done the previous nights, and he would be able to rest.

His mount tripped over a rock or root and the sudden jolt sent a flash of pain through his body. Treize was barely able to suppress a moan. He pressed his teeth together and waited for the throbbing to subside.  
  


***

Wufei tugged on his horse's reins and dropped back a few steps until he rode beside his prisoner. The tall man had spoken little since his surrender. So far he seemed subdued and had made no attempt to escape, but the commander had no plans of letting down his guard. Wufei turned his head slightly and eyed the colonel from the side. He thought that the man looked somewhat pale, but it was hard to tell, since he had a light skin color to begin with. 

He removed the canteen from the side of his saddle, unscrewed the top and offered it to the prisoner. "Water?"

Treize opened his eyes and nodded. "Thank you." It was somewhat tricky to hold the bottle with his bound hands but he managed. The water was warm and a little stale, but it soothed his parched throat. He drank a few sips, waited a moment and drank some more, before handing the canteen back to Wufei.

A soldier rode toward them and reined his horse to a stop next to the commander.

"Commander Chang, Sir," he reported. "Captain Barton says that he needs to talk to you."

Wufei nodded. "Stay here and don't take your eyes of him," he ordered with a gesture toward Treize.  
"Yes, Sir," the soldier replied. 

Wufei spurred his mount and rode to the front of the train where Trowa and Quatre seemed to be arguing about something.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"No problem really, we are just trying to decide where to cross Silver Creek," Trowa explained. "Quatre thinks it had been dry enough to cross it near Muellville, but I'm not so sure about it. If we are wrong we have to head back and lose a full day."

Silver Creek was by no means a large stream, but it was deep, and most of the year its current was too strong to cross on foot or horseback. During the dry season, however, the creek lost a lot of its water and power and became passable at several points. One of those locations was about twenty miles to the south of them. Being able to cross the stream there would shave at least two days off their trip. But since they couldn't be sure, Trowa's concern was well founded.

"Perhaps Trowa is right," Wufei said. "We would be taking a risk. Especially with all the wagons we have. The last thing I want is for them to get stuck in the mud."

Quatre was about to reply when they heard some commotion from the back of the convoy. Moments later, one of the soldiers rushed toward them.

"Sir, you'd better come quickly."

Wufei had already turned his horse. Quatre and Trowa followed right behind him. The first thing the commander noticed was that Treize's horse was without its rider, then he saw the colonel lying on the ground.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Sir." The soldier who had been guarding the prisoner shrugged. "He suddenly collapsed and passed out."

Quatre dismounted and knelt next to Treize. He laid his hand on the man's forehead, then looked up at the commander. "He has a fever."

"Be careful," Wufei warned. "If he is ill, I don't want you to catch whatever it is that he has."

The blond knight nodded. He was about to rise when he noticed a rust colored spot on the colonel's tunic. Was he bleeding? Had he hurt himself somehow when he fell? That seemed unlikely. Quatre frowned. He removed the Treize's belt and pushed up his tunic. His frown deepened when he noticed the bloody bandages around the man's abdomen.

 "It looks like he was injured during battle. He had been treated, but if the wound got infected that would explain his fever," Quatre looked up at Wufei again. "It will take some time to check him over and treat him properly."

The commander nodded. He turned to Trowa as he ordered. "There is a small lake not far from here. Have our men set up camp there. We will stay for the night. The sun will be going down soon anyway."

"Yes, Sir."

***

Wufei had helped Quatre to carry their prisoner into one of the tents. They laid him down on a makeshift bed of blankets. The colonel was still unconscious.

With nimble fingers, Quatre untied the laces at the neck of the man's tunic. "Can you lift his upper body a little?" he asked Wufei. As the commander complied, the blond carefully slipped the shirt over Treize's head.

Wufei straightened, and watched as his friend begun to remove the bloodied bandages around their prisoner's abdomen. Unconsciously he let his gaze wander over the lean body. The colonel was well-built with broad shoulders and a muscular chest. His cream colored skin was marred by several small scars; remnants of older battle wounds perhaps.

Wufei turned his head when the flap at the entrance to the tent was moved.

Trowa walked in carrying a basket with herbs and healing supplies. "Do you need anything else?" he asked Quatre.

The blond took a quick inventory of the basket before he answered. "I'll need some hot water, and some cold water as well, and something to replace these bandages with."  
Trowa nodded in acknowledgement. "I'll be right back."

"Thank you."

As the captain left, Quatre peeled away the last of the bandages.  
Wufei winced at the sight of the wound. The flesh was dark red and swollen, and looked rather painful.

_Brainless fool, why didn't he say that he was wounded?_

"How bad is it?" he asked. "I'd rather not lose him before we reach the Royal Palace."

Quatre nodded, as he turned his head and looked up at the commander. "Hard to tell yet. I'm not sure how far the infection has spread. I'll do what I can."

Jus then Trowa returned. He set down the bucket he was carrying next to the makeshift bed, and handed Quatre a bowl with steaming water. "Anything else?"

"Yes, you could give me a hand. While I treat his wound you can take a piece of cloth, soak it in cold water and dab his body with it," his lover told him. "That should help to cool him down."  
"Is there anything I can do?" Wufei asked. He felt utterly useless as he watched his friends tend to the ill prisoner.

The blond shook his head. "Not right now."

"Then I'll go and check on the guards. I'll see you two later."  
  


***

As the commander left, Quatre reached for the basket. He rummaged for some dried herbs and roots, crushed them with a pestle and added some of the hot water until the mixture turned into a thick paste.  
"Is this alright?" Trowa asked, as he wiped the colonel's chest with the wet cloth.

"You are doing great." Quatre smirked at him. "If I ever need a sponge bath you would be the person I would call."

The captain laughed.

Treize moaned quietly as the blond spread some of the root paste around his injury. Incoherent words broke from his dry lips.

"Is he waking up?" Trowa asked.  
Quatre shook his head. "I wish he would, though. Then I could give him some tea to bring down his fever, and something to help him cope with the pain." He covered the wound and redressed it with clean bandages. "I think you can stop now," he told Trowa. "We don't want him to get too cold."

The captain nodded. He soaked the cloth one last time in the bucket, squeezed out the excess water and placed it onto the colonel's forehead. 

Quatre pulled a light blanket over his patient. "I think it will be best if I stay with him for the night," Quatre said, "Just in case his condition worsens."

"I'll get us something to eat," Trowa suggested. 

*****

 Quatre was reading when Wufei entered the tent.

"How is he doing?" he asked gazing over at Treize.  
The blond sighed, as he lowered his book. "His fever has gotten even worse. I've tried to keep him cool and somewhat comfortable. The herb ointment should fight the infection. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Why don't you go and get some sleep? I'll stay with him for the rest of the night," Wufei suggested. 

"Thank you." Quatre stifled a yawn.

"Is there anything I need to do?"

"Not much. I just reapplied more of the ointment, so we won't have to do that again until the morning. Just keep the cloth on his forehead wet and cool. If he should come to, try to give him some of this tea. " Quatre rose. "And if you need me, don't hesitate to wake me."

Wufei nodded. "Very well. Good night, Quatre."

"Good night."

The blond left the tent, and Wufei settled into the chair next to the colonel. As he sat there he studied the sleeping man. His tawny hair was damp and tousled. His face slightly flushed from the fever and his breathing somewhat shallow. He looked almost peacefully relaxed, and a faint smile curved his lips.

_I wonder what he is smiling about?_ Wufei thought. _I would have never thought that one of them could look so…handsome. Shows how deceiving looks can be_.

He picked up the book that Quatre had left and started to read. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when Treize stirred. The man gave a low moan. Wufei turned his head, and blushed. The blanket that covered the colonel had slipped down when he moved. Wufei hadn't expected that the man was nude, beneath it.

His cheeks were still burning, as he reached out and pulled the blanket up to Treize's belly. 

_Damn you, Quatre, you could have at least warned me._

His prisoner tossed his head and whispered a few broken words, too low for Wufei to understand. The commander frowned. _Does he look more flushed then before?_ He reached out and put his hand against the colonel's cheek. As soon as the young man touched his face, Treize seemed to calm down. Wufei raised his eyebrows in surprise. He slowly pulled his hand away.

The colonel moaned in protest. "Zechs?" he whispered.

_Zechs? Didn't Quatre mention that name? I think he said that the Ghentanian with the long silvery hair is called Zechs Merquise. _

He doused the cloth in the bucket at his side and gently dabbed the colonel's face. The cool dampness seemed to soothe his patient. Treize stilled and his breathing became slow and even. Wufei rinsed the cloth once more before he placed it back onto the Colonel's forehead. For the rest of the night he kept a watchful eye on the man. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________  
  


T.B.C.

Author's Note: 

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	5. Part 4

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story 

**Code of Honor**

_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 4

"I'd better go and check if the colonel is awake and ready to eat something." Quatre set down his qahwa mug, and was about to rise when the commander stopped him.

"You just stay and finish your own supper. I'll take care of the prisoner."

"Thank you. Make sure he drinks his tea, but if he doesn't want to eat, don't force him."

Wufei nodded in acknowledgement, as he rose. A few moments later he was heading toward the tent where the prisoner was being kept; a bowl with stew in one hand, a cup of hot tea in the other.  
Four days had passed since he and his troops had set up camp. Their captive had been unconscious for nearly three of those days. At one point his fever had climbed so high that even Quatre wasn't sure if the man would make it through the night. But he did. His fever finally broke and he woke up earlier this morning. He was still weak of course, and Quatre suggested to stay for at least another two or three days at this campsite, to allow him to recover some more.

That idea did not sit well with everybody. The men were getting restless. Many of them had women and children waiting at home. They hadn't seen them in months. Now they were stuck here, so close to home and yet so far away. But there was nothing that could be done about it. Wufei was not willing to risk the life of his prisoner. He was determined to deliver the man alive and well to the king.

He was well aware that there were people who thought that he had been given the rank of commander only because he was the king's great nephew and the son of the late General Chang. Wufei knew that wasn't the case. His uncle did not play favors, not when it came to the safety of the kingdom. He was determined to proof once and for all that he was a skilled soldier and a good leader, deserving of his rank and his station.

The guard outside the colonel's tent snapped to attention as Wufei approached. He passed them and pushed open the canvas flap at the tent's entrance.

The prisoner was lying with his back to the door, facing the wall.

"Are you awake?" the commander asked.

Treize turned his head slowly. "Yes."   
His voice was weaker than Wufei remembered it.

"I have brought your supper. Can you sit up?"

"I believe so."

Treize managed to push himself up into a sitting position, but he was shaking at the effort. It wasn't surprising that he felt so weak, considering that he didn't hadn't eaten much in nearly four days.

The commander knelt down next to his bed and set the bowl into his lap. The stew smelled delicious. Treize swallowed, as he picked up the spoon. Although he was starving, he ate deliberately slow; afraid that he might get sick otherwise. Not a single word was spoken until the colonel had emptied his bowl, and Wufei handed him the cup with the tea.

"Drink this. It's some tea Quatre made for you."

Treize smelled the drink then took a careful sip and grimaced. The tea was bitter and tasted terrible. "This is awful, are you sure it is safe to drink?"  
Wufei's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Its tea," he repeated, "of course it is safe to drink. It will help your body to fight the fever and also dull your pain."

"The pain is easier to deal with than this… **brew**." The colonel pushed the cup away.

"Just drink it," his captor demanded. "I don't have time to play games. It can't be that bad."

"You obviously never had to drink it." Treize crossed his arms in front of his chest in a gesture of defiance.

Wufei gave an irritated growl. "Fine, don't drink it. See what I care." He gathered the cup and the empty bowl as he rose, and turned on his heels.

Treize watched the commander stomp out of the tent before he settled back into the pillows.

_He is hot tempered and feisty. But he is also quite handsome, even if he is angry_. _Or perhaps it is **because** he is angry? I think it's the fire in those black eyes._ _I have never seen such eyes before._ A soft smile curved the colonel's lips for a fleeing moment. Then he kicked himself mentally and reminded himself that the young man he was drooling over was an Iterian soldier; an enemy.

Trowa and Quatre exchanged a surprised look when the commander stormed back into the mess tent. He mumbled something that sounded like annoying and infuriating.

"Is everything alright?" Trowa asked.

"Did he eat?" Quatre wanted to know.

"Yes, he ate the stew." Wufei scowled. He was obviously upset. He set the dishes down on the table with such force that some of the tea spilled over. "But he didn't like your tea."

"I can't say that I blame him." Quatre gave his commanding officer a somewhat sheepish smile. "It really tastes a lot like tree bark, which is probably because it's made from willow bark."

"Can't you do anything about that?"

"I could, perhaps," the blond Iterian shrugged, "if I had some sweet berries or honey."

Wufei's brows narrowed, as he thought for a moment. Then he turned to his second in command. "There is a village in the south, not far from here. Send one of the soldiers to see if he can get some honey."

"Commander?" Trowa asked, slightly bewildered.

"The tea won't do any good if he refuses to drink it," Wufei replied, as he took a seat at the table, across from Quatre. "I want him to recover as quickly as possible. I'm not prepared to stay here forever."

Trowa nodded in acknowledgement. "I'll send someone first thing in the morning. But there is something else, I wanted to talk to you about, regarding the prisoner. Now that he is conscious and recovering, don't you think we should take precautions to prevent an escape? A guard outside the tent wouldn't stop **me** from getting away, if I was in his position."

Quatre gave a quiet snort and rolled his eyes. Towa had always been the most suspicious and vigilant of the three of them. This was probably one of the reasons why Wufei had made him his second in command, and the head of security in his castle. In this case however, Quatre thought that he was a little overly cautious. "What do you suggest, Trowa? Do you want to chain him to his bed? He isn't in any condition yet to escape."

"Trowa is right," Wufei remarked seriously. "We should not take chances."

"Where are you going?" Trowa asked, as Quatre reached for his sword belt and fastened it around his waist.  
It was long after sundown, and the two of them had retreated into their tent. Trowa was already undressed and laying on the bed that he and his lover shared.

"I need to go and check on the prisoner one more time," the blond told him.

The captain's face darkened slightly. "You checked on him only a few hours ago? You have been spending more time with him than you have been with me," he complained.

"I'm sorry, but you heard Wufei. He wants to break camp as soon as possible. And that will only happen when the colonel is healthy enough to ride. I'm just making sure he gets all the care he needs." Quatre stepped over to the bed and dipped his head to capture Trowa's mouth in a brief but loving kiss. "But that is no excuse for neglecting you, Love," he whispered into to young man's ear. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Trowa smirked. "I'll be waiting for you."

"I won't be long." With a last affectionate nuzzle Quatre straightened up. He reached for the basket with his healing supplies and a lantern before he left the tent.

Treize was laying awake in the dark. He was feeling a lot stronger than he did only a day ago. Apparently his captors realized that too. They had shackled his feet together to prevent him from escaping. The short chain allowed him only to take small, careful steps. But then again, it wasn't like he was going on long walks anyway.

 The colonel turned his head when the flap at the tent entrance moved. He recognized the blond Iterian in the light of the lamp the young man was carrying. The soldier had been at his side when he regained consciousness, and had been taken care of him and treated his wounds for the past few days.

"How are you feeling?" Quatre asked, as he set the lantern down on the table. He walked over to the bed, knelt down next to it and laid his hand on the colonel's forehead.

"Much better, thank you."

"You don't seem to have a fever anymore either. That's good." The young soldier looked at the empty cup next to the bed. "I see you finished you tea. I'll have the guard bring you some more before I leave."

"Thank you," Treize gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you also for sweetening it."

"You should thank Commander Wufei for that," Quatre told him. He didn't give up until he was able to find some honey for you."

The colonel had no reply to that. He just stared silently at the ceiling while the blond Iterian carefully removed the bandages from around his belly. "Does it still hurt?"

"Only if I laugh," Treize responded dryly.

The comment evoked a soft smile from the young man. "I'll try not to jest too much then."   
He took a jar from his basket, opened it and smeared some of his salve around the wound, before covering it with fresh bandages.

"How much longer will we be staying here?" Treize asked when Quatre had finished his work.

The young man shrugged. "A day or two. Are you so eager to get to the Royal Palace?" He started to put his medicine back into his basket.

The colonel sighed. "I feel like I'm slowly dying of boredom."

Quatre straightened up. "I would loan you a book, but I'm not sure if I have anything that you would be interested in."

"You might be surprised," Treize replied. He pushed himself up into a sitting position. The chains around his ankles clinked quietly. "I noticed that you were reading a collection of ballads by one of my favorite bards, Benedict Gauwyn, one night when you were watching over me."

"You know Gauwyn?" the blond soldier asked in a mixture of surprise and skepticism. "He isn't Ghentanian."

"He isn't Iterian either," the colonel countered.

"True," Quatre admitted. He had already picked up his basket and was ready to leave, but now he tuned back toward the prisoner. "I just never thought that…"

"I'd read poetry?" Treize gave an amused snort. "I assure you, in spite of what you might have heard about Ghentanians, we are not cave dwelling barbarians."

"Do you have a favorite verse?" the young man asked.

Treize was sure that the blond was just testing if he really knew any of Gauwyn's work. "Ode to a golden Valley," he replied.

Quatre gave a slight smile. "I read that one, it **is**beautiful."

"Did you know that the place he is describing really exists?" the colonel asked.

"No, I had no idea."

Treize nodded. "It's a small valley north of the village he was born in. I passed through it while traveling two summers ago."

"Really? Is it as beautiful as he describes it?" Quatre asked.

"I would say it is even lovelier, and I didn't even see it at harvest time when the fields are golden."

There was a moment of silence, before the young man reached for the lantern on the table. "It is getting late, I should be going. I'll bring you a book when I come to check on you in the morning," he promised, before he left.

"What took you so long?" Towa asked as Quatre entered their tent.

"I'm sorry, we started to talk and I didn't even realize how late it had gotten." Quatre took off his weapons belt and put it down on a chair. He slipped out of his boots and started to undress. When he was done he put out the lamp that was standing on the table. The tent was small enough for him to find his way around, even in the dark. Moments later he climbed into bed and Trowa pulled a soft bedcover over the both of them.

Quatre gave a quiet sigh as he nestled against his lover's warm body. "I can't wait for us to reach the Royal Palace. You know what the first thing is that I'm going to do?"

"What?"

"I'm going to take a bath; a nice, long, hot bath."

"Correction." Trowa whispered, as he embraced the blond and pulled him closer. "**We** will be taking a very long, hot bath."

"Ah." Quatre nuzzled the nape of the young man's neck. "Have you made any other plans for us yet?"

"Not yet," Trowa breathed. He closed his eyes and gave a small moan of delight. "But there are quite a few things what I would like to do with you."

"Is that so?" the blond purred. "Tell me all about it."

"Tell you, or show you?"

Quatre's purr turned into a husky growl. "Now there is an idea."

"First we would take a long bath together," Trowa whispered into his lover's ear. "I will dry you off, carry you too our chamber, and put you down on the bed. I will build an altar out of pillows so that I can worship this lovely body of yours all night long. I'll start at your ear…"

He kissed and suckled Quatre's delicately shaped earlobe. His hot breath tickled the young man's neck.

"Then I'll slowly work my way down your jaw and throat, just like this…"

Quatre moaned in delight as Trowa placed a trail of soft butterfly kisses along his jaw line and down his neck. "Go on," he breathed. "What will you be dong next?"

"I would kiss my way down your chest until I reach those lovely, rosy nibbles of yours," Trowa whispered. Moments latter his tongue was swirling around one of the little pink buds. He smiled softly as he felt it perk up instantly.

Quatre arched his back and groaned. He pulled the brunet closer. His hands wandered down Trowa's back, his fingertips brushed teasingly over the firm curves of his lover's buttocks.

Trowa gave a soft growl as he dipped his head and kissed his way down Quatre's abdomen until his nose reached the soft curls just above the young man's manhood.

Quatre shuddered. His hands buried themselves in Trowa's hair, as his lover kissed the tip of his erecting.  
"Oh, god," he breathed.

Trowa smirked as he looked up. "Do you want to know what else I'll do to you?" he whispered huskily.

"Yes, please!"

T.B.C.

Author's Note:

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	6. Part 5

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story

* * *

**Code of Honor**

_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 5

"Quatre thinks that you could use some exercise. He suggested that a short walk would do you good." Wufei said as he walked into the tent where the Ghentanian Colonel was being held. He noted in satisfaction that his prisoner's health seemed to be improving steadily. That meant they would be able to break camp the next day just as planned.

"Is that so?" Treize replied calmly. He was sitting on his bedstead, with his back against the tent wall. "Why didn't **he** come?"

"Does it matter?" Wufei asked.

The colonel shrugged. "Not really. But he is a lot more pleasant to be around than you are."

Wufei huffed in irritation and crouched down to unlock and remove the shackled from his prisoner's ankles. "Don't even think about trying anything stupid," he warned.

Treize gave a disrespectful snort as he rose and leisurely stretched his legs. "Like what; try to escape in the middle of a camp swarming with enemy soldiers? How foolish do you think I am?"

"Foolish enough not to tell us that you were wounded," Wufei snapped back.

"I didn't think I would live long enough for it to matter," Treize replied with an almost nonchalant shrug. "Why did you bother healing me anyhow? It would have been less bothersome for you to slit my throat while I was unconscious."

The commander glared at the man. "Maybe that's how Ghentanians treat their prisoners," he hissed. "We have more honor than to kill an injured man." With that he turned. "Let's go."

Treize snorted again as he was following his captor outside. His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Right! But that sense of honor doesn't seem to stop Iterians from attacking settlements and kill women and children."

Wufei jerked around. "How dare you," he spat. "How dare you to make such accusations." He stood toe to toe with his prisoner, his eyes sparkling with fury, but Treize didn't even blink.

"I dare because I have seen villages, or what was left of them after your army marched through."

"Liar! No Iterian would do such a dishonorable thing," Wufei insisted. He turned hard on his heel. "Now, keep your mouth shut, I have enough of your accusations."

"Well, forgive me for being honest." Treize fell into step next to the commander. "I suppose I should have known that you would deny everything. You would probably even deny your attack in Sank, I assume."

Wufei's yaw dropped. "Iteria had no quarrels with the kingdom, no reason to attack them. Everybody knows that Sank was attacked by **your** army."

"By **everybody**, do you mean Iterians?"

"You are despicable. - Soldier," the commander called for one of the nearby warriors. "Take him back to his tent and chain him up."

"Yes, Sir."

"Running away from the truth?" the Ghentanian snorted, as Wufei started to walk away.

_I will not strike him. I will not loose my temper._ The commander repeated the manta in his mind as he kept walking.

#####

A good hour later Wufei was sitting outside his tent brooding.

_I can't believe his nerves; blaming Iteria on the attack on Sank, when it was really their doing. Sank broke away from __Ghent__ and became an independent kingdom nearly 100 years ago. I'm sure they have been waiting for an opportunity to retaliate ever since. I don't think they were ever interested in a peace treaty with Iteria. It was probably all part of their plan to hit Sank and kill the royal family._ The commander huffed. _And **he** is trying to lecture **me** on honesty and honor_.

"Why do you let him get under your skin?"

Trowa's quiet voice ripped Wufei from his thoughts. He didn't even hear his second in command approach. But he knew immediately who the captain was talking about. "How can I not," he growled. His eyes darkened, and his face turned red in fury, as he remembered the confrontation with his captive. "He is arrogant and demanding, and he seems to go out of his way to insult me. If he wasn't a prisoner and injured I would teach him to respect me. Who does he think he is?"

"A Ghentanian," Trowa shrugged nonchalantly. "What did you expect? They are known for their hauteur."

#####

"What does he want this time?" Wufei asked, as Quatre came to see him after giving the Ghentanian colonel his daily checkup. He was sitting with Trowa in his tent over a large map, planning out the route they would take to the royal palace.

The Commander was loosing his patience with his prisoner; no actually he was way beyond that. Right now he was almost ready to choke the man. _He was so much easier to deal with while he was unconscious._

Quatre gave him a wry grin. "He would like to take a bath."

"A Bath?" Wufei growled. "What does he think where he is?"

"I don't think it is that unreasonable of a request." Quatre tried to reason. "I got his clothes washed while he was sick, but he didn't really have a chance to clean himself since we captured him."

The commander shook his head. "I'm not sure it's a good idea. I don't want to give him any chance to escape."

"I can take him down to the lake, if it is alright with you," Trowa offered. "Trust me; he won't go anywhere while I'm watching him."

"Fine," Wufei gave in.

###

"Where are we going?" Treize asked the brunet knight who led him out of his tent. Commander Chang had called the young man Trowa, if he remembered correctly. The soldier had removed the shackles from around his ankles, but tied his hands together behind his back with solid leather straps.

"You wanted to take a bath, did you not?" Trowa answered. That explained the towel and soap he was carrying.

The colonel let his gaze wander. Barely anybody paid attention to them. Most of the soldiers were busy loading the wagons. It looked like they were preparing to leave soon. "When are you going to break camp?" he wanted to know.

"When the commander decides that it's time," the brunet replied curtly.

Treize got the feeling his companion wasn't much of a talker. They walked silently for about ten minutes and stopped at the shore of a small lake.

"Turn around," Trowa ordered, and as Treize complied he untied his wrists.

"That's it?" the colonel asked.

"That's it," the Iterian confirmed.

"You can't be serious. It's only spring. The water has to be freezing."

"It won't get warmer any time soon." Trowa shrugged. "Bath or don't, it's all the same to me, but don't waste my time."

Treize looked around. This place was totally open. "How am I supposed to do this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure how **you** take a bath. But **we** usually take off our clothes, go into the water and scrub ourselves."

Treize could have sworn that he was the lightest hint of a smirk on the young man's face. He glared at him.

"Would you at least have the decency to turn around while I undress?"

"No." the Iterian replied. "I'm here to guard you; I can't do that when I can't see you. Besides, you don't have anything I haven't seen before."

"Pervert," the colonel growled. "You're really enjoying this, don't you?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm not that desperate."

Treize clenched his teeth, but started slowly to undress, as he realized that he had no other choice. Turning his back toward the brunet he untied his tunic, slipped it over his head and dropped it on a patch of grass where the water couldn't reach it. His boots and trousers followed. Moments later he walked into the lake, nude. The water was chilly, just as he had expected, and he couldn't stifle a gasp. Despite the cold he took a few more steps, until he was immersed all the way to his hips. Only then he turned around.

"Catch!" The brunet tossed him the soap before settling down on a tree trunk near the shore.

Treize tried to ignore the man while he begun to scrub himself. The water didn't feel as cold anymore after his body had adjusted to it. The soap smelled of jasmine with a little hint of peppermint.  
The colonel knew that his guard was watching his every move. The young man wasn't as laid-back as he appeared to be. He was too clever to relax around an enemy, even if the enemy was in a position as vulnerable as Treize was right now. _He reminds me somehow of Zechs_.

The colonel couldn't help it but feel a certain amount of respect for the Iterian. The young man was quiet and he was very intelligent. Unlike the kind-hearted Quatre, or his hot headed Commander, he didn't allow his emotions to show, which made it difficult for Treize to figure him out. _He is dangerous, that much is sure._ _I'll have to make sure not to underestimate him._

###

"Now I understand why you volunteered for this task." Quatre's voice was soft and teasing, as he lowered himself onto the fallen tree trunk next to his lover. "He is quite a sight to behold, isn't he?'

"I had the feeling that you might say something like that." Trowa gave him the faintest smirk, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Did Wufei send you to check on us?"

"No, I decided to do that on my own." The blond leaned to the left until he could feel Trowa's body pressing against his side. "Is he behaving himself?" he asked with a gesture in Treize's direction.

"I told you he wouldn't give me any trouble, didn't I?" Towa replied without taking his eyes off the prisoner. "Still I don't trust him. I think he is sly as a fox and dangerous."

"Well I'm sure they didn't make him a Colonel on his good looks alone. So I agree; he probably is very smart; hopefully smart enough not to try anything stupid."

"Be careful, Quatre. You might get hurt if you allow yourself to get too close to him." Trowa warned seriously. "He is an enemy and he is our prisoner. We are only taking him to the royal palace, what happens after that is out of our hands. Chances are that he will be executed."

"I realize that. But still, that doesn't mean I have to hate him."

#####

Treize had to force himself to be patient. He needed to make sure that everybody in the camp, aside from the guards, was asleep before he could make his move. He couldn't take any risk. If his plan of escape was foiled he would never get a second chance.

So, he lay in the dark, and waited. His captors seemed to realize that he had regained his strength, because tonight they not only had chained his legs together but his hands as well. A good three feet of chain connected the shackles around his wrists. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

Finally Treize decided that he had waited long enough. Lying flat on his back, with his face toward the entrance he started to groan. He sounded rather pathetic, and he could only hope that it had the effect he was hoping for.

The guard outside the tent seems to be gifted with excellent hearing. Treize didn't have to wait long before he flap at the tent entrance was moved and the soldier stuck his head through the opening. The colonel gave another groan for good measurement, and watched the man through half-lidded eyes.

"What's wrong?" the guard called out.

Treize didn't answer. He could hear a mumbled curse, and then footsteps as the man walked over to his bed.

"Are you alright?"

Treize moved his lips and whispered a few incoherent words.

"What?" The guard, who was gifted with good hearing, but obviously not with an equal amount of brain, leaned closer.

The colonel moved swiftly. He threw his hands up, wrapped loose chain around the soldier's throat and pulled it tight before the man could scream for help. His victim struggled for a few moments, then turned limp. Treize released him immediately. He only wanted to render the man unconscious, not kill him.   
  
He quickly searched the soldier until he found the key to his restraints. After he had removed the chains from his ankles and wrists, he used them to tie up the unconscious Iterian. With a piece of cloth that he ripped from his blanket he gagged the man, before stripping him of his weapon belt.

When he was done Treize cautiously moved the canvas that was covering the entrance and peeked outside. Everything was quiet. He gave a silent sigh of relief as he slipped out of the tent into the darkness. Thanks to his little walk with the commander, and the trip to the lake and back, he'd had a chance to look around and memorize the layout of the camp.

Only one soldier was guarding the horses that were tied up beneath a group of trees. The colonel thanked his lucky star as he moved slowly closer. The soldier never knew what hit him. He was struck over the head with the hilt of Treize's sword, and was out cold before he even hit the ground.

The Ghentanian didn't bother tying the guard up. By the time the man would come to, he would be long done. He looked around. His white stallion, Keezah, was tied up next to Commander Chang's mount. Saddles, trappings and bridles were lying nearby.  
Treize wasn't selective. He picked up the first bridle that he could find and slipped it over Keezah's head. The stallion snorted, as though he was annoyed about being disturbed at this time of the night. The commander patted the mount's powerful neck to calm him. There was no time to search for his saddle, but that wasn't a problem. He had learned to ride bareback when he was just a little boy.

#####

Wufei was woken from the sounds of hoofs beating and yelling. Alarmed he jumped out of his bed, pulled on his boots and reached for his sword. As he stormed out of his tent he almost collided with his second in command.

"He's escaped," Trowa explained before the commander even had to ask. "He also cut loose all the horses and chased them off before taking off. I've already ordered our men to catch them."

"Damn it," Wufei cursed and clenched his fists in fury. "He was chained up, wasn't he? How did he manage to free himself?"

"I'm not sure yet. But we know that he knocked out the man who was guarding the horses."

"Lord Wufei!" One of his soldiers run toward them and bowed.

"What is it?"

"We found the soldier who was guarding the prisoner, chained up in his tent my Lord," the soldier reported. "It looks like he had been strangled. He is alive but still unconscious."

Wufei growled as he turned to Trowa. "Have Quatre check him out. When he regains consciousness, I want to speak to him."

"Yes, Sir." Trowa nodded in acknowledgement.

The commander scowled as he watched his fried walk away._ We have to find him. I can not return to the royal palace empty handed. I'll look like a fool. Damn you, Treize Khushrenada!  
_

* * *

T.B.C.

Author's Note:

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	7. Part 6

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story

* * *

**Code of Honor**_  
  
"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 6

Treize rode for a couple of hours. It was almost dawn when he stopped at a small stream at the foot of a mountain chain, to allow his stallion to rest. He knelt down by the stream. The water was cold and crystal clear. He cupped his hands and drank some of the refreshing liquid. Once he had quenched his thirst the colonel settled down beneath a large tree. He was at no real danger at the moment. This was a good time to assess his situation and to decide what to do next.

He had no idea how far it was to the border to Ghent. After being captured he had tried to take in as much as possible of his surroundings, so that he could remember them later on if needed. However, he knew that he had been unconscious for several days, and he couldn't be sure how far, if at all, the group had moved after he had collapsed. Treize decided that his number one priority right now was to find out where he was, so that he wouldn't accidentally move even deeper into Iterian territory.

He was wearing only a plain tunic and a pair of trousers. If he was to come across people they shouldn't be able to tell if he was Iterian or Ghentanian just by looking at him. Still he had all intension to stay clear of villages and settlements. Treize expected that Lord Wufei had sent out soldiers to every town to warn the people. Perhaps he had even put out a bounty on his head. At least that's what he would have done in the commander's place.

Treize didn't worry too much about food at the moment. He knew that he could go without it for a few days as long as he had enough water. It was spring and grass and vegetation was lush, so at least his mount would be able to take care of himself.

The colonel's considerations were suddenly interrupted by a blood-curdling scream. And to make things worse, it was the voice of a child. Treize unsheathed his sword, as he jumped up and started running in the direction the cry had come from. Only a few moment's later he reached a small clearing. He stopped dead in his tracks and paled when he found the source of the scream. A young boy, no older than eleven or twelve years old, was lying in a growing puddle of blood on the forest floor; a large, sand-colored mountain cat hovering over him.

The animal hissed at Treize and bared its enormous fangs, daring him to come closer and try to take away its meal. The colonel let out a scream as he attacked; hoping to scare the cat off. He didn't expect that the animal would charge him. With one large bound the feline landed right in front of him, and lashed out with its large and powerful paw. The hit knocked Treize's sword out of his hand and he had to jump back quickly to avoid being shredded by those sharp claws.

While Treize scrambled to get his sword back, the cat retreated toward its prey. Mighty jaws locked into the boy's shoulder, as the animal tried to drag him off into the bush. But Treize wouldn't have it. He charged again, aiming for the cat's neck as he brought his sword down. The feline ducked and he wasn't able to land a full hit. The blow only wounded the cat instead killing it. But it was enough to make the animal turn and take off. Moments later Treize lost sight of it, as it disappeared into the beep brush. The colonel kept his sword at hand, as he knelt down next to the injured, unconscious child. He winced at the sight of the wound at the boy's shoulder. Quickly he ripped off some pieces of his own tunic and started to dress the injury. He wrapped the makeshift bandages tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He was afraid that the boy might die if he didn't see a healer. The other wounds; a few cuts on his legs and his head seemed minor compared to his shoulder injury.

Treize realized that this boy must have come from somewhere. There had to be a village or homestead near by. However, he no idea where to find it, and he was afraid that he might loose precious time searching for it. Besides, there was no guaranty that there would be a healer in the settlement. There was only one place that he knew off, where the boy could get the help he needed, but taking the child there meant that he would be recaptured for sure. Treize hesitated, but only for a short moment. There was no way in hell that he could leave an innocent boy to die just to save himself.

Carefully, he slipped one arm under the boy's knees, the other under his back, and scooped him up. Treize cradled the child against his chest as he hurried back to where he had left his mount. He knew he there was no time to waste.

#####

"Do you understand now why I didn't trust him?" Towa asked his lover. The two of them were sitting by the fire cleaning their weapons. There was little else to do but wait for the soldiers that Wufei had sent out to come back. Before they knew which way their prisoner had taken they wouldn't be able to pursue him.

"I do understand," Quatre replied. "I never said that I didn't. However, I'm still not convinced that he is that bad of a person."

Trowa sighed, as though he had expected that answer.

"You have got to admit that he could have easily killed both of those guards if he wanted to, but he didn't. He…" Quatre suddenly stopped himself in the middle of the sentence and stared at something beyond his lover's shoulder. "I don't believe it. Trowa turn around."

The brunet turned his head, and his jaw almost dropped.

###

Treize reined his stallion to a halt in the middle of the camp, dismounted and carefully put down the injured boy. Most of the soldiers just stood there and stared at him in bewilderment.

"Get your healer," he yelled at one of them. "Quickly."

But just as the man was about to leave Quatre already entered the scene. He pushed a few men aside and dropped to his knees next to the unconscious boy.

Finally the other soldiers came to life as well. Treize didn't resist when he was seized and disarmed. Somebody pulled his arms onto his back and tied them together with what felt like a leather strap.

"Take him back to his tent," Trowa ordered. "And don't take your eyes of him for even a second."

"Wait, I need to ask him some questions," Quatre called out, with a gaze over his shoulder. "What happened?"

"He was attacked by a mountain cat," Treize explained. "I heard his screams and was able to chase the animal off."

"When did it happen?"

"Shortly after dawn."

"Did you do anything to treat his wounds?"

The colonel shook his head. "I'm not a healer; I wouldn't know the first thing about it. I only dressed them so that he wouldn't bleed to death before we got here."

Quatre nodded. That was all he needed to know at the moment. He turned toward the soldiers. "Hagart, get my healing supplies. Branton, I will need hot water; lots of it and quickly."

The two men nodded in acknowledgement and scurried off to carry out their orders.

#####

"Why did you come back?" Wufei glared down at his prisoner. When he heard that the colonel had returned to the camp on his own, he had been just as dumbfounded as anybody else.

Treize was sitting in his tent, with his back against the pole he was chained to. He wouldn't be as comfortable as he was before, but the only one to blame for that was himself.

Treize looked up at the commander, a smirk curving his lips. "I realized that I forgot to thank you for your hospitality, and I didn't want you to think that I'm rude."

Wufei's fist's clenched, and his eyes narrowed. He wanted nothing more than to slap the colonel and wipe that smug grin from his face. "Damn you, Khushrenada. When are you finally going to start taking me seriously? Do you think just because I'm younger than you, you can keep mocking me?"

"What makes you think that I'm not taking you seriously? I always take my adversaries seriously."

"Tell me why you came back?" he demanded. "Did you think we would let you get away again?"

"No," Treize replied. "Only a fool would allow that to happen, and I think that you are anything but a fool."

The commander blinked. _Is he making fun of me?_ But there was not as much as a trace of sarcasm in the prisoner's voice. It was not what he had expected, and it confused him.

"So, you are trying to tell me you came back only to save that boy's life; an Iterian child who you have no connection to?" Wufei didn't sound convinced.

"What would you have done in my place?"

The question caught the commander of guard. He frowned in confusion. _I thought I came here to ask questions, not to answer them. _

"Answer me, Lord Wufei," Treize insisted. "Would you have let an innocent child die just because it wasn't born on the same side of the border as you?"

Wufei frown turned into a scowl. "Of course not," he replied sharply.

"Then why is it that you are so surprised about my action? Do you really have that low of an opinion of me? Do you think I have no honor at all?"

Wufei was saved from answering those questions, when the flap at the entrance was pushed aside and Quatre walked into the tent, his basket with healing supplies in hand.

"Did you get injured as well?" the blond asked Treize. "Your clothes are soaked in blood."

"I'm fine," the colonel assured him. "Most of it is the boy's blood. I just got a few scratches on my wrist."

"Let me see," Quatre demanded, crouching down next to the prisoner. He checked the man's arm and nodded in approval. "You're right, those aren't very deep. I'll clean them and dress them."

"How is the boy?" Treize wanted to know.

"He will survive," Quatre told him. "And thanks to your quick actions he will probably even keep his arm."

Wufei stayed and watched for a few more moments before he left the tent. He called over one of the nearby soldiers. "Find Captain Trowa and tell him to see me in my quarters."

"Yes, my Lord." The man nodded in acknowledgement.

#####

"Are we still going to break camp and leave for Itoko (1) tomorrow morning as planned?" Towa asked, as he was sitting together with Wufei in the commander's tent.

"I would leave rather sooner than later, but it depends on whether Quatre thinks that the boy can travel or not."

Trowa nodded.

"The reason I called you; however, is to discuss the prisoner's security. I want at least two guards around him at all times. Make sure the men know to be on their toes, and not to let themselves be fooled again."

"You worry too much. I have already taken care off it."

Both, Wufei and Trowa turned their heads at the sound of Quatre's voice. The two men exchanged a surprised look as the blond dumped a pile of clothes onto the floor.

"What's that?" the commander asked with a gesture at the garments.

"His clothes." Quatre smirked. "I figured; a naked man won't run very far."

Wufei blushed slightly as he stared at the young man in surprise.

Trowa let out a deep bubbling laugh. "Sometimes your way of thinking scares me, Quatre."

T.B.C.

* * *

Author's Note:

(1) Itoko – Capital of Iteria, where the royal palace is located

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	8. Part 7

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story  
  
Anatra DeSylvianno, CP, KC, and everybody else concerned about Treize's health and/or dignity ;-) –Treize is only nude during the night, he got his clothes back before they left camp in the morning

* * *

**Code of Honor**

_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 7

Wufei was quite pleased. Since they had broken camp at the break of dawn, the train had moved a good distance. At this pace they should be able to reach Itoko in less than three days. The moral of his men was high as well. Everybody was excited about being home and with their families soon. Wufei himself was looking forward to a hot bath and a soft bed, and a few days of rest at the royal palace before returning to his own castle.

Their Ghentanian prisoner was still allowed to ride his own mount, but his hands were now tied together and chained to Wufei's saddle.

The commander regarded Treize from the side. The ginger-blond man was keeping his face blank, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking.

Wufei was still confused about the colonel. He just wasn't sure what to make of the man. Treize's arrogance and sarcasm infuriated him to no end. But at the same time he couldn't help but admire the man for his pride. What confused the young knight the most was the passion and rage in which Treize had spoken about the assault of Sank; as thought it has been a very personal matter him him.

Was he truly convinced that Sank had been attacked by Iteria; or was it all an act? After all, Ghentanians are known to be deceptive and sly. But then again, they are also known to be coldhearted and cruel. One wouldn't expect from a person like that to sacrifice his own freedom to safe a child.

"What is it?" Treize suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You have been staring for me for what seems like hours."

"That's ridiculous." Wufei felt himself blush and he quickly turned his head. "Why would I? You are imagining things."

"Am I really?"

Wufei didn't have to look at his prisoner to know that the man was smirking. The color in his cheeks only intensified, even as he huffed. _Damn it, how does he always manage to catch me off guard? I hate it when he puts that grin on; so self-confident, so patronizing. He is a prisoner, what the hell is he smirking about anyway?_

For the next hour or so the commander avoided looking directly at his prisoner and stared into the distance instead, as though there was something interesting to see at the horizon.

"Lord Wufei!" Quatre rode up from behind and tugged at his mount's reins until he fell into step next to Wufei. "I just finished my check up on the boy."

"How is he doing?" Wufei wanted to know.

"Rather well, actually. I think he is recovering quicker than I would have thought because of his youth. However…" Quatre sighed. "He refuses to give me his name or the name of the village he came from."

"Why is that?" Treize asked.

The blond shrugged. "He says that he doesn't want to go back home. He ran away to become a soldier and join the war."

After a moment of contemplation the colonel turned to Wufei. "Allow me to speak with him."

Wufei gave him a questioning look.

"Perhaps I can talk some sense into him," Treize told him seriously, and after a short moment of silence he added. "Children shouldn't be fighting. There is no need for anybody at this age to learn how to kill."

Wufei nodded. He couldn't agree more. "Quatre, go with him."

###

The boy was sitting in the back if one of the covered wagons. His shoulder was wrapped in thick bandages. He looked at the colonel, his eyes focusing on the chains around the man's wrists. "So, you must be the one who saved me. They told me that you are Ghentanian."

Treize nodded. "And they told me that you are on the way to the battlefield to join the troops."

"That's right," the boy replied proudly. "My father and older brother both were soldiers. They both died in battle. Now only my mother, my sister and I are left. I'll become a soldier too so that I can protect them. And I'm not afraid to die."

"Those who don't value their own lives are unfit to protect others." Treize replied calmly. "You are nothing but a selfish little boy."

"Treize," Quatre exclaimed.

The boy glared at the colonel. "I'm not selfish."

"But you are," Treize insisted. "You didn't think about anybody but yourself. Did you never consider how your mother and your sister might feel? They already lost your father and your brother. Do you really think they want to burry you too?" The colonel's voice was harsh. "If you really cared for them you wouldn't have ran away. – But do as you wish. I'm done wasting my time talking to you. Let's go Lieutenant."

"Don't you think you were a little too harsh with him?" Quatre asked as they left.

"We will see about that," Treize replied calmly.

#####

The next morning when Quatre came to bring Treize his breakfast he was wearing a soft smile.

"It seems as though your tactic has worked, Colonel. The boy, his name is Adam by the way, changed his mind. He wants to go back home now." He told Treize. "Lord Wufei sent a messenger to his family to let them know that he is alright."

"I'm glad to hear that," Treize replied. "I would have hated to think that I saved his life and got myself re-captured just so that he can rush off to get himself killed somewhere else."

#####

Lord Wufei and his men reached Glendrake Castle, a stronghold just outside the gates of Itoko, late in the afternoon. The large castle had been build for the purpose of housing troops before their departure for battle and after their return.

Wufei spent the night at Glendrake, before moving on to the royal palace early the next morning to deliver his prisoner and pick up the salary for his troops. Only Trowa and Quatre accompanied the commander on this last leg of their trip.

The four men reached the palace a few hours later. As they stopped their horses in the inner courtyard, a tall, dark-haired man, slightly older than Wufei, and several soldiers dressed in the colors of Iteria's royal guard approached them.

"You are late. We expected your arrival a few days ago," the young man spoke.

"Lord Sung?! What are you doing here?" Wufei asked surprised.

The other man smirked slightly, as he looked down at the commander. "The king sent me to greet you. I suppose Uncle wanted to make sure that he favorite nephew gets the proper welcome." His voice was dripping with sarcasm as he added. "I've heard you brought a prisoner. Well, even a blind hen sometimes finds a corn. Isn't that so?"

Wufei clenched his fists but didn't say anything. His face was a mask of perfect calm.

Sung turned toward Treize who had just dismounted. "Is that him?" he raised the prisoner's chin with his fingertips. "Doesn't look that tough, does he?" he snorted condescendingly. "But then, I shouldn't be surprised. After all, they say that all Ghentanians are cowards and weaklings."

"They also say, it takes one to know one," the colonel countered smoothly.

Sung's eyes flashed with fury as he struck out at the prisoner. Treize, who had expected that reaction managed to turn his head just in time. The fist barely grazed his cheek. The Iterian raised his hand again, but before he was able to hit the colonel again Trowa stepped in and caught his wrist in mid-air.

"Sung," Wufei scowled at his cousin.

"Didn't you hear what he said? Somebody needs to put him in his place."

"He is still **my** prisoner."

"I'm sorry, dear Cousin, but that's where you are wrong. I'll be taking over from here. Did I forget to mention that?" Sung glared at Trowa, who was still standing between him and the prisoner. "Step out of my way."

The captain didn't move.

"Wufei call off your guard dog, before I report to the king that you are disobeying his orders."

Wufei said nothing, but gestured for Trowa to step aside. He watched silently, as two of Sung's men stepped in and seized Treize right and left by his arms.

"Take him down to the dungeon. I'll deal with him later," Sung ordered, before he turned toward his younger cousin. "It's been a pleasure seeing you again. Until later…" He nodded at Wufei mockingly and walked away.

As the guards left one of the servants hurried to the commander's side and bowed before him. "The quarters for you and your escort have been prepared, your Lordship. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"That won't be necessary," Wufei replied. "I know the way."

###

"Why does he hate you so much?" Quatre asked, as the three men walked down one of the long corridors toward their quarters.

"It's a long story," Wufei replied. "Sung's father and my father were both half brothers to the king. Although my father was the youngest one of them, the king made him general of his army and not Sung's father. Sung insist that the king always liked my father better, and that he is favoring me as well."

"But even if that was true, that's not your fault."

"Try to tell him that."

"He has been competing with you ever since you were small. He can't accept that even so you are younger than him, you the better warrior," Trowa remarked. "He is overly ambitious, and that can be dangerous. Be careful around him, Wufei."

Wufei nodded. He couldn't agree more. He had always been wary of his older cousin's intentions. "What have you planned for today?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Trowa and I are going to see if the bathhouse is free," Quatre explained. "I really need a good soak. Are you going to join us?"

The young knight shook his head. "I requested an audience with the king. I want to talk to him as soon as possible." He nodded at his friends, when they reached his chamber. "I'll see the two of you at dinner I?!"

Trowa and Quatre exchanged a quick look and grinned, before the brunet replied. "Not very likely. We have a few **other** plans as well."

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Spare me the details," he muttered as he turned to enter his room.

#####

"Thank you, your Highness for taking the time to see me on such a short notice." Wufei dropped down on one knee and bowed his head in respect.

"Don't be ridiculous, Wufei," the king replied. "I will always have time to see you, and if not I'll make time. Now rise to your feet; there is no need for you to kneel before me."

"Thank you, your Highness."

"You don't have to call me that either." The king sighed. "Wufei, I wish you would every once in awhile look past the fact that I'm the king, and keep in mind that I'm also your uncle. Perhaps a little less formal setting will help. The garden is beautiful at this time of the year. Heero," he turned toward the guard standing by the door. "I'm going to take a walk with my nephew. I don't want to be disturbed by anybody."

The young man nodded. "Yes, your Highness."

The king regarded his nephew silently, as they walked side by side to the garden. After a long moment he finally spoke. "By the gods, I can't believe how much you have grown, Wufei. Every time I see you look more and more like your father. I'd receive reports of intense fighting between our troops and Ghent, and I was worried about you. I'm glad that my prayers were answered and you have returned safely."

"Thank you."

"Now tell me; what is it you came to see me about?"

"It's about the prisoner we brought," Wufei explained. "What's going to happen to him?"

"Truth to be told, I'm not sure yet," his uncle admitted. "I was surprised when I learned who you had captured. His name is well known in Ghent. His grandfather was one of the men who signed the truce between Ghent and Iteria 40 years ago. His father is an advisor for the king, and Treize Khushrenada is one of the highest decorated officers in Ghent. He has a subordinate, a young man by the Name of Zechs Merquise. Together the two of them have dealt our troops more losses than anybody else."

"If he is such a high ranking soldier, that would mean that he could probably provide us with a lot of important information, wouldn't it?" Wufei asked.

"The king of Ghent is not fool, Wufei. He only tells his officers what they need to know, so that in case they are captured they can't give away too many secrets. Besides that, I don't think that he would tell us anything, willingly."

_He is probably right_, Wufei thought. _Treize is proud. He would rather die than betray his own people._

"The Khushrenada family is also extremely rich. I'm sure they would pay any ransom we ask for, but I don't think I can allow him to return to the battlefield. He is too skilled as a warrior and too able as a leader."

Wufei nodded. He saw the reason in that. "You are not planning to execute him, are you, your Highness? Because if that's the case; I would like to plead with you to spare his life."

He king gave his nephew a surprised look. "Explain," he demanded.

Wufei nodded. He told his uncle how Treize had escaped and saved the life of a boy. "I believe that an act of compassion deserves another."

"I concur," the king agreed. "I'll consider what you told me when I made my decision. Now, is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"In fact there is," Wufei replied. "I was wondering if you would mind telling me about Sank, about the treaty between Ghent and Iteria and the assault on the kingdom."

"Hmmm." The king gave his nephew a surprised look, but didn't ask why Wufei wanted to know about this. He settled down on a stone bench and patted the seat next to him. "Let's sit down for a while, shall we?"

As Wufei sat down he started to talk. "As you already know, Sank was a pacifistic kingdom that opposed all forms of violence. Nearly forty years ago the ruling king of Sank worked out a truce between Ghent and Iteria. Twenty-five years later his son suggested that we should take it a step further, declare peace and form an alliance. After plenty of consideration I agreed. Delegations of both kingdoms were supposed to meet in Sank to finalize the alliance. Seeing the importance in this act, I decided to travel to Sank myself. When our group reached the Sanyoto River we found the main bridge partially collapsed and our way cut off. Because we had to travel north to the next bridge we arrived at Sank about two days later than expected. Soon after we entered the kingdom we started to hear about the attack on the royal palace…"

"So by the time you arrived it was already too late?"

The king nodded. "Yes. The palace was burned to the ground and the bodies had been buried when we finally reached the capital."

"Then you never saw any of the attackers. And as far as I know there were no survivors. How did you know they were Ghentanian?"

"People in the nearby villages and towns told us that they had seen Ghentanian troops in the area at about the time of the attack."

Wufei frowned. "So he was lying to me after all."

"**He**?" the king asked.

"Colonel Khushrenada!" The young knight almost spat the name. "He insisted that Ghent wasn't behind the attack on Sank. But of course it was all a lie. I should have known." _Why am I so angry about this? Did I actually hope that Treize had spoken the truth? Why do I want to trust the man so desperately? What is it about him that made me even come here and plead for his life?_

"Perhaps it is not a lie."

Wufei looked at his uncle puzzled. "What do you mean, your Highness?"

"Perhaps it is what he truly believes, because it is all he has ever been told."

#####

"What's wrong, Quatre?"

"Nothing."

"Please, don't try telling me nothing is wrong. It's almost morning and you are still awake." Trowa moved closer and snakes his arm around his lover's waist. "Obviously something is bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Trowa sighed. "I take it then that this is about Treize."

"I'm sorry; I know you don't like him…"

"I told you already it's not that I don't like him. I fact I have a great deal of respect for him, but he is still an enemy."

"He is not that different from you and me." Quatre said. "Did you know that he likes poetry and music? And I'm sure he has a family that doesn't know what happened to him and is worried about him right now."

"I was afraid this would happen. This is exactly why I warned you not to get too close, Quatre. If you ever were to face him in battle, these kinds of thoughts will get you killed, because they will make you hesitate." Trowa looked at him sorrowfully. "Quatre I love you very much, I don't want to lose you."

Quatre gave him a soft smile. "Don't worry. I have never faltered on the battlefield, have I?" He nestled against his lover's warm body. "Let's get some sleep, shall we."

* * *

T.B.C.

Author's Note:

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


	9. Part 8

Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story

* * *

**Code of Honor**

_"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"_

_- Native American aphorism -_

Part 8

Quatre spent most of the morning in the chamber that he and Trowa shared, reading. Wufei had left early that morning for Glendrake Castle, to bring his troops their pay, and dismiss them. Trowa was accompanying the Commander, but Quatre had chosen to stay behind.

It was early in the afternoon when the young man decided to pay the Ghentanian prisoner a visit. As he headed down to the dungeon he told himself that he was only concerned about the colonel's health. One of the guards in the warden room showed him to Treize's cell. The colonel was sitting on a thin, straw filled mattress, with his back against the wall.

"Ah, Lieutenant, what a pleasant surprise," the colonel greeted him "What brings you down here?"

"I just came you see how you are doing."

"I have been better," Treize replied sarcastically. "The accommodations here are awful. I will have to make sure to reserve a room with a view the next time I come to this place. But then again, I'm not paying, so I should be complaining, should I?"

Quatre grinned softly. He could only admire the other man for not having lost his sense of humor yet. "How is your injury? Is it bothering you in any way?"

"No, it is fine. However I would appreciate it if you could do something about these." The colonel gestured at his shackled wrists. "These are quite uncomfortable, and absolutely unnecessary if I might add."

Quatre frowned and turned toward the guard. "Why is he chained while he is locked inside his cell?"

"Orders from Lord Sung," the man replied with a shrug.

Quatre's frown deepened. He was just about to ask if the king knew about this, when several of lord Sung's men entered the dungeon.

"You," the leader of the group barked at Treize. "Get up, you are coming with us."

"Where are you taking him?" Quatre wanted to know.

"Interrogation," the man replied with a dark grin. "Lord Sung is feeling a little bored this afternoon and looking for a little entertainment."

_I don't like the sound of this. I can't believe that the king would approve of this. I wonder if he even knows. I'd better find Wufei quickly. He might be able to do something. Let's hope he has already returned._

###

When Quatre didn't find the commander in his quarters he decided to check the royal gardens. Wufei was known to retreat there when he wanted to be alone.

Just outside the gardens he ran into a young lady with long blond hair. "Lady Relena." He bowed respectfully. Relena was the daughter of Lady and Lord Darlian, one of the king's advisors. Quatre once heard that she was not really their blood child, but that might have been just a rumor.

"Lord Quatre, what a pleasure to see you again," the lady said. "I was delighted when I heard that Lord Wufei and his men had returned safely."

"Thank you, Lady Relena; the pleasure is mine," Quatre replied. "But you really need to stop calling me by that title. I'm not a lord and you know it."

"You better get used to it. I've heard that the king is planning on knighting you and Captain Trowa the day you turn twenty-one."

"That's a long way to go, and his highness might still change his mind. I'd rather not think about something that might or might not happen." Quatre smiled modestly.

"Don't be so humble, Lieutenant," se told him. "You and Trowa deserve that title more than many of those born of noble blood."

"Thank you, you are too kind, my Lady. May I ask if you by any chance have seen Lord Chang in the gardens? I was looking for him."

Relena shook her head. "I saw him and the captain leave on horseback earlier this morning. I don't think that they have returned yet. If you don't have anything better to do, would you care to join me for a walk?"

The young man was about to politely decline her invitation when he noticed a young man, no older than Quatre, in guard uniform, approaching them. He gave Quatre a curt nod and bowed at Relena. "My Lady, I'm afraid I'll have to cut your conversation short. His Highness is asking to see the Lieutenant."

Relena smiled softly. "That's quite alright, Heero. I'm sure we will find time to talk some more later."

"My Lady." Quatre gave her a respectful nod before following the guard.

_The king wants to see me? I wonder why_? He thought. He turned his head to face Heero. "Did his Highness mention what he wants to see me about?" he asked.

The other man shook his head. "He didn't tell me, and I didn't ask."

Heero Yuy was the king's personal guard. Despite his young age he had proven his skills and capability more than once. Rumor had it that his highness himself saved Heero's life when he was only a small child, which of course would explain his total devotion and loyalty to the ruler of Iteria. Heero was a quiet person, very much like Trowa, who didn't socialize much. Everybody in the palace knew that Lady Relena fancied the brave and handsome young man, but so far all her efforts to get his attention seemed in vain.

###

"Your Highness wanted to see me?" Quatre dropped down on one knee and lowered his head respectfully, as he approached the king.

"Yes, Quatre, I need your assistance." The king gestured for the young man to get up. "Rise and take a seat."

"What can I do for you, your Highness?" Quatre wanted to know.

"I'm planning on talking to the prisoner you brought. I would like for you to be present when I do so. I need to be sure if he is being truthful or not."

"I see," the blond replied quietly. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable, but it wasn't like he could tell his highness that he would rather not be present when Treize was being interrogated.

Apparently the king noticed his discomfort, because he asked. "What is it, Quatre, you look troubled."

"I… Are you…I mean, if he isn't willing to talk, are you going to have him tortured for information?"

"Tortured? Why, Quatre, you should know me better than that. How did you come up with an idea like that?" the king asked. He sounded appalled by the mere suggestion.

"Forgive me, your Highness," Quatre apologized. "It's just that when Lord Sung's men came to take him away for interrogation they made some remarks that troubled me."

"Lord Sung's men you say? I never gave him orders to question the prisoner. Heero!" The kind turned toward his guard. "Find Lord Sung and let him know that I want to see him at once."

"Yes, your Highness."

#####

Treize was tied up with his arms spread above his head, in the middle of an otherwise empty chamber. Two chains that were anchored high in the walls left and right of him, led to his wrists. The guards who had taken him to this room had stripped him of his tunic before tying him up.

While he was waiting, Treize wondered for the first time if he had made a mistake. He had never expected that he would be alive long enough to reach the royal palace. Remembering the guard's remarks sent a cold shiver down his spine.

The colonel raised his head as the door opened and Lord Sung entered the chamber, with a curled-up leather whip in his hand. He managed to keep his expression blank, as the dark-haired man stopped in front of him and raised his chin with the crop.

"I hope you are ready for some fun."

The Iterian walked around him regarding Treize from all sides, before he stopped behind the prisoner. "Such soft and flawless skin," he muttered. "It's a shame that it won't stay like that much longer."

Treize gasped and bit his lower lip when the whip suddenly came down on his back.

Sung stepped closer and ran his fingertips over the angry red welt left by the leather strap. A few drops of blood trickled from a spot where the skin had broken.

"My, my Ghentanian blood is red too, who would have thought."

"You didn't know," Treize pressed through his teeth. "Perhaps if you'd join the men on the battlefield instead of hiding cowardly at this palace…"

"Insolent bastard!" Sung spat.

The whip came down again, crossing the mark that it had left earlier, and the colonel could barely stifle a cry.

_God, this hurts._

"Did you know that this whip, if used skillfully, can expose a man's spinal cord with less than fifty lashes?" Sung remarked nonchalantly.

"You are sick; did anybody ever tell you that?" Treize growled.

The knight snorted. "Let's see if you are still this cocky when I'm done with you."

The Ghentanian clenched his teeth, waiting for the next hit, but it never came. Instead the door was pushed open and a young soldier with unruly brown hair entered the chamber.

"My uncle's lapdog, I'll be damned," Sung remarked mockingly. "What are you doing here? Have you come to enjoy the show?"

"His Highness sent me. He wants to see you at once, Lord Sung."

"Now? Can't you see that I'm in the middle of something?" the knight asked.

"The king said, he wants to see you at once," the guard repeated.

"All right, all right, I'd heard you the first time." Sung dropped the whip and turned toward his prisoner. He seized Treize's chin and forced him to look up. "It seems as though you have caught yourself a little break. But don't worry, my friend, I'll be back soon. Don't get lonely while I'm gone."

###

Lord Sung turned his head and regarded the man walking next to him with a condescending look. "It seems that my uncle has trained you well, Heero Yuy. Do you also fetch and bark when he tells you to?"

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm not easily insulted by the likes of you, Lord Sung." Heero replied, without even sparing the older man a single look.

"You…," Sung spat angrily. "Have you forgotten your place? You'd better watch you mouth and speak to me with more respect."

"Respect and loyalty have to be earned, my Lord, otherwise they mean nothing," the brunet remarked calmly. "**You** haven't done anything yet to deserve my respect."

The knight huffed, but didn't say anything because they had reached the king's study. Heero knocked at the door and waited for the command to come in before opening it.

Lord Sung's demeanor changed as he entered the room. He approached the king and bowed. "You called for me, Uncle?"

"I was told that you took it upon yourself to question the prisoner, Sung. Is that true?" the king asked.

"Well, yes I did."

"And when exactly did I give you orders to do so?" his uncle inquired firmly.

"I assumed that it was what you wanted me to do, your Highness."

"Do not assume so much, just follow your orders. The last time I checked **I** was still the king. I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake by giving you too many liberties," the king gave him a firm gaze. "This isn't the first time you have gone over my head. Do not try my patience, Sung. Family or not, I'll not allow you to abuse your authority. Did I make myself clear?"

"Absolutely clear, your Highness," Sung bowed his head, even as he clenched his teeth in anger. _How dare he to dress me down like a disobedient child; especially in front of other people? I'm a member of the royal family; I'm not some low-class servant._

"Good, then go now and have the prisoner brought to me. I want to talk to him myself."

T.B.C.

* * *

Author's Note:

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)


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